I'd Die Without You
by Amaen
Summary: [Multi Chapter] A series of one shots revolving around the positive influence that Mark has had in the life of every bohemian, and how he quickly became their guardian angel.
1. April

**Title**: I'd Die Without You. 

**Summary**: A series of one shots revolving around the positive influence that Mark has had in the life of every bohemian, and how he quickly became their guardian angel.

**A/N**: This idea was actually inspired by a friend of mine. We were talking and she suddenly mentioned something about Mark being an angel. This got my brain churning and I was thought, "What if that was how everyone he has come across feels about him?" It will involve insight from each of the bohemians, even the ones that have passed away in the plot.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RENT.

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**I'd die without you.**

He was always .. _there_. No matter what you needed, no matter what time it was, he would be at your side within a heart beat. If you cried out in the middle of the night, he would lazily walk into the room, glasses askew on his face as he walked to the bed, questioning what was wrong and if there was something he could do to fix it. He was a sweet kid, he really was.

There would never be another Mark Cohen, she knew this. As she shifted in her sitting position on the fire escape, the large windows open so that the timid spring breeze could blow into the loft, the female turned and cast a gaze into the living area of the industrial sized loft she had come to call home. She had to tell him just how special he was, and how lucky they were to have someone like him -- how lucky Roger was to have a best friend like him.

"Marky," The female soprano called into the loft. It was about seven in the morning and she knew that he would be up and about, filling himself a cup of tea that she had started to make when she had first awoken. A mug of the warm liquid was gripped in her hand as the aforementioned blonde shuffled towards the window, taking a seat on the ledge as he peered at the young woman who was sitting outside. His own cup of tea held lightly within his hands.

"Yes, April?" The male questioned, eyebrows knit down in confusion as he took the first sip from his tea, savoring the warmth. The red-head lifted her gaze to him, and what he saw caught him by surprise. Her green eyes shone with tears as she locked her forest-green gaze to his bright blue, her lips twitching up in a shaky smile. Almost immediately Mark went into his 'mother mode', as April liked to call it. "April, are you okay?" She only nodded, glancing to the horizon where the sun was still rising into the sky. "I'm just fine, Mark. I wanted .. I wanted to thank-you." This caught the pale blonde off guard, and he simply stared at her.

"Thank you for what, April?" Biting on the inside of her bottom lip, the female fought back the tears. Oh god, she felt so guilty. If Mark knew what she was going to do, he would try so hard to stop her. "For always being there. Not just for me, but for Roger, and for everyone else, Mark. You watch over us like a little angel, always perched on our shoulder to make sure we do what's right." He was always so supportive of both Roger and herself when they attempted to get off the heroin. She was always the weak one, however, breaking down only after a week and quickly running back to The Man. Mark felt himself smiling, the small, timid smile he rarely allowed to show.

"You don't have to thank me for that." He said, taking a sip of his tea afterwards. April shook her head from side to side. "No, Mark, I do. I also want to say that I'm sorry for causing any hardship on both you and Roger." She was standing, slowly, tears still collecting in her eyes as she crawled back into the loft, glancing once more at the sunrise. "April, don't talk like that. It .. it has to be hard. I'll always be there to support you and Roger, but he just doesn't need me, he needs you too." April shook her head from side to side and laughed, a laugh that caused her entire face to light up and echo softly through the loft.

"You'll always be there to take care of Roger, won't you? Even If I'm gone?" The nod from the blonde was enough to reassure her, but she continued before Mark could say anything. "Thank-you, Mark. That makes me feel .. a lot better, it really does." She bent down and placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead, which earned her a confused stare from the blonde. "You're like a brother to me, Mark. .. Thanks. Take care of Roger, okay? He's not always the brightest bulb in the box." She gave another laugh and set her mug down on the ledge. "I'm going to take a shower before everyone gets up. Bye, Mark."

She headed in the direction of the bathroom, leaving the blonde to muse about the discussion they had just had. It was too early for this, and he was extremely confused by it all. A guardian angel? "April, I'll watch out for Roger but --" He was only greeted by the shutting of the bathroom door. Frowning, Mark shook his head and finished his cup of tea, gathered his things and left a note that said he was going out filming. Heading towards the bathroom as he held his camera in his hands he listened to the sound of the water and then smiled softly to himself, knocking. "Bye April, I'm going out filming. If Roger wakes up before I get back, tell him what I'm doing."

The female on the other side of the door smiled.

Mark Cohen was one in a million, and he really was their guardian angel. He would take care of Roger and everything would be okay. If only he knew of the weight that he had lifted off her shoulders.


	2. Roger

**Title**: I'd Die Without You. 

**Summary**: A series of one shots revolving around the positive influence that Mark has had in the life of every bohemian, and how he quickly became their guardian angel.

**A/N**: This idea was actually inspired by a friend of mine. We were talking and she suddenly mentioned something about Mark being an angel. This got my brain churning and I was thought, "What if that was how everyone he has come across feels about him?" It will involve insight from each of the bohemians, even the ones that have passed away in the plot.

**Warning:** Okay, I might lose/gain some readers with this chapter. However, I AM a fan of M/R, and try as I might, I couldn't keep it out of this chapter. So, the real warning: ROGER/MARK FLUFF!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RENT.

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**I'd die without you.**

He owed the man so much, but he didn't know how to begin. The man had tried to find small ways to show his gratitude, but the blonde hadn't quite picked up on the subtle hints. Roger had thought himself to be oblivious when it came to the affections of someone being shown, but Mark .. well, he didn't seem to notice too much unless it involved his filming or constantly reminding Roger to take his AZT. Currently seated on the couch, his guitar in his hands (which was currently missing a string), the brunette-blonde poised himself to play when he heard a voice that caused him to nearly jump out of his skin.

"If I hear Musetta's Waltz one more time, I think I'm going to pull my own hair out." Icy blue eyes locked onto the aquamarine gaze of the guitarist who couldn't fight back the grin that was pulling at his features. "Sorry." He quickly murmured and paused, watching as Mark went back to leaning against the steel table that they only not used as a table, but also a place to store Mark's film, Roger's guitar picks, old newspapers, and empty bottles of Stoli. Oh, you couldn't forget the empty containers of food and the crumbs, either.

Mark had thought he was safe, but that wasn't the case. After getting absorbed into the paper, and holding the cup of warm tea to his lips, he practically jumped a foot in the air as Roger strummed out the opening notes to the one song that Mark was beginning to hate with a passion -- only he wasn't, because the song would always remind him of his best friend, and Mark would be damned if he ever hated Roger. Roger was still surprised that Mark was even around.

He did have a lot to thank Mark for. Mark helped him cope with April's death. It wasn't Mark's fault that he never left the house, that he would barely eat, and rarely would he ever leave his room. It wasn't Mark's fault that he had given the blonde hell as he went through his withdraw, sometimes actually causing physical harm to the man he called his best friend. A normal person would not stick around through all that, no matter how good of friends you were. There was something different about Mark -- something he hadn't been able to place.

Well, not until a few months ago when Roger discovered he was looking at Mark in a completely new light. Everything the blonde did caught his attention, and Roger wasn't sure if it had been his sleep-fogged mind as he glanced with blurred vision from the couch (having stayed up all night waiting for the filmmaker, who was out doing a late night filming run) but when Mark opened that door, Roger could have_sworn_ there had been a halo around his head.

And it got him thinking. Had Roger ever really thanked Mark for everything that he had done? Ever_seriously_ thanked the man? This bothered Roger. It plagued him in his sleep and his conscious thoughts during the day. What if something happened to him, or to Mark, before he could get the chance to tell the other how he felt? That couldn't happen! He wouldn't let it. And that was why he smiled as Mark jumped up, cursing softly due to the lukewarm tea he had spilt on himself.

"Roger! Damnit, look what you made me--" However, he was cut off by the sudden pressing of lips to his own, hands on his cheeks. He was startled, that was for damn sure. The blonde yanked away and stared wildly at Roger, confused as hell. "Roger, what in the hell are you doing?" He tried to sound accusing, but it didn't work. The look that Roger was giving him caused Mark's eyebrows to arch up in question.

"I'm thanking you, Mark. Showing you just how much you mean to me, and how lucky I feel to have you as a best friend." And as the space between their lips closed this time, there was no resistance from the filmmaker, for as Roger had been closing in for another kiss he_knew_ that he had seen a halo of light above his best friend's head.

Mark_was_ an angel.

Roger's guardian angel, and the former rock star had no idea what he would do without him.


	3. Mimi

**Title**: I'd Die Without You. 

**Summary**: A series of one shots revolving around the positive influence that Mark has had in the life of every bohemian, and how he quickly became their guardian angel.

**A/N**: This idea was actually inspired by a friend of mine. We were talking and she suddenly mentioned something about Mark being an angel. This got my brain churning and I was thought, "What if that was how everyone he has come across feels about him?" It will involve insight from each of the bohemians, even the ones that have passed away in the plot.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RENT.

* * *

**I'd die without you.**

Mimi had never made the best decisions in her life. She had indulged herself into the world of sex and drugs at an early age, much earlier than any child should ever be introduced. Like any other person, she made decisions that she regretted and knew those would last her for the remainder of her shortened life time. What would her mother say if she knew just what Mimi put herself through? She would be horrified to find out that her daughter was a heroin addict.

So Mimi hadn't told her. It wasn't as if it made too much of a difference. Mimi wasn't going to let the disease get the best of her, no way! She was a young girl that had so much to live for, and she was going to live every day as if it was her last. What else could she do? If she worried 'What if this day is my last?' she wouldn't enjoy life. She was doing all that she could, honestly! She took her AZT every time her beeper went off, but there was one thing that she hadn't done.

Mimi hadn't quit the smack. How could she? She had vowed to herself that she was going to live her life to the fullest, as if she may not have a tomorrow. Oh no, she didn't worry and stew about it, but she lived her life according to it. The drugs made her feel good, and when there was so little in her life that did that, why take away the one thing that did? However, another influence had stepped into her life. Actually, she had more less stepped into his. After Mimi had seen Roger that night, she knew she wasn't going to stop until she got to know him.

And know him she did. Very well, in fact. But when she got close to Roger, she also got something that she hadn't expected. A _family_. She had people that worried over her, worried for her well-being, and wanted her to quit the drugs and go back to school! With support such as this .. she knew that she could do it, she had to! She couldn't disappoint her new found family. When Mimi went through the hard time of trying to quit the drug, she didn't know who to turn to. She had her moments of weakness, and for Roger, that was too much. He would get angry and yell at her, because he didn't know how else to handle it.

However, there was one person that she could always turn to. He didn't yell or scream, he didn't say much of anything, actually. Mimi found it strange the first time he had found her crying, and her first reaction had been to simply cling to the blonde man. They set like that for a few moments, Mimi's sobs slowly fading into nothing but mere hiccups as she tried to get out an apology for getting him dirty. "Mark, Mark I'm -- I'm sorry. I didn't mean -- I, I --" Blue eyes focused on the young woman's face before he shook his head.

"It's alright." As the girl stared at him, Mark found himself shifting uneasily. "Listen. Roger .. Roger doesn't know how to display his emotions very well. He's been through this with one girlfriend and he lost her, he's just scared that he's going to lose you, too." Mimi watched as the elder male stumbled over his words, eyebrows knit down as he tried to figure out just what to say. "Roger loves you with all his heart, and he's trying to do what's best for you .. just in a more .. 'Roger'-like way." This grew a mixture of a laugh and a sob from the female.

"You have support from an entire family, Mimi. Remember that." Suddenly he was patting around the pockets of his jacket for something, eyes narrowed. "Mark, what are you doing?" She questioned softly, eyes wide and bloodshot as she focused on the male before her. "I'm going to give you the name and address of a clinic I know -- a rehab center. If you're_really_ serious about this, Mimi.."

Suddenly, the dancer from the Catscratch club was crying all over again, causing Mark to panic slightly before she pulled him into a hug, head buried into his shoulder. "Mark, you have no idea how thankful I am." She pulled back and wiped at her eyes, smiling slightly. "You're like a brother to me."

Mark felt his lips pulling up into a sad smile as he found the pen and paper from his jacket, jotting the name down.

"Funny," He commented softly, earning a confused glance from Mimi. "I've been told that before.."


	4. Maureen

**Title**: I'd Die Without You.

**Summary**: A series of one shots revolving around the positive influence that Mark has had in the life of every bohemian, and how he quickly became their guardian angel.

**A/N**: This idea was actually inspired by a friend of mine. We were talking and she suddenly mentioned something about Mark being an angel. This got my brain churning and I was thought, "What if that was how everyone he has come across feels about him?" It will involve insight from each of the bohemians, even the ones that have passed away in the plot.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RENT.

* * *

**I'd Die Without You.**

"Oh, what am I going to do?" The young woman groaned to herself as she quickly moved around the stage, desperately trying to get the wires connected where they needed to be, and also sound-check herself. This was fucking crazy! How could Joanne just up and leave her like that? Yet another incident that Little Miss Harvard had blown completely out of proportion. Wouldn't she learn that there would _always_ be women, with or without rubber flirting with her? Apparently not.

"Sweet-fucking-Jesus." Maureen hissed as she tried yet again and connected the RCA cable to yet another outlet, and then hurried to the microphone. "Test, one, two – damn it!" She couldn't do this by herself. Even if Joanne was more trouble than what she was worth, Maureen was starting to miss her. At least she could help her when she tried to do these things, but now she wasn't even here. Dark red lips pulled down into a pout as she finally set herself down on a crate, reaching into the pocket of her jacket and rattling the change before she finally decided that she had to break down.

There was only one person that could help her out of this mess – and if Joanne wasn't there, that left one person to turn to. Maureen stood and headed towards the payphone located at the other end of the area, eyebrows knitted down as curled strands fell into her face. A hand reached up to brush them away in an irritated manner before she finally stopped at the payphone. Depositing the needed amount of change, she dialed a number that she had learned by heart years ago.

"SPEAK!" The screechy voices of Mark and Roger greeted her from the answering machine.

"Mark, I know you're there. Please, pick up. I need your help – badly. I have a performance coming up tonight and I can't get any of the equipment to work, and Joanne ran out on me earlier and .." She was about to go on when she heard the phone being picked up.

"Maureen?" It was Mark – he sounded as if he was out of breath once he finally answered the phone.

Maureen felt her heart swell. Even though she had treated Mark so bad, he still felt obligated to helping her. With a wide smile now pulling at her lips, she gripped the phone tighter in her hand and then sighed softly.

"Yeah, I .. kinda need your help, Pookie." Maureen cooed.

"Okay, Maureen. Just give me the address and I'll be over." Mark replied.

Maureen could have sworn that she heard the faint sound of someone making a whipping sound. It went ignored as she told Mark where to find her, and then hung up. Another sound, this time Roger's laughter, had filtered through the speaker and into her ear. Maureen wanted to know what was so goddamned funny, but she decided that she wouldn't question Mark as soon as he arrived. He was probably getting enough teasing from Roger, and she didn't want to add any fuel to the already growing fire.

As Mark walked in, Maureen thought she would explode from the relief – which was a rather weird way to look at it.

"Pookie! I'm so glad that you could come!" The young woman launched herself at the man and wrapped her arms tightly around him, placing a kiss right on his lips.

Mark, unsure of how to react to this, merely smiled and returned the hug, though he was not prepared for the kiss at all.

Pulling away, Mark only waved a hand at the stage and then headed over as Maureen nodded to confirm that was what she needed help with. Taking off his messenger bag and coat, Mark immediately went to work on the cables. Maureen set herself on the crate and tilted her head from side to side, watching him with great interest so that, maybe, she could pick up on something.

"So, Mark, how has your life been?" Maureen attempted at idle chitchat.

"Mm." A shrug.

"Anything new that you'd like to tell me?"

"Mm." A shake of the head.

"Are you and Roger finally going out yet?"

"_What_?" Mark finally looked up, his eyes wide.

"Just making sure you're paying attention, is all."

"That's not funny, Maureen."

The young woman merely laughed, her brown eyes dancing as she sighed softly and rested her chin in her hands, watching as he continued to work. Maybe she had distracted him – thrown him off his game – it never took this long for him to get this done, before.

"No, but really, Pookie. You need to find someone for you." She said after a minute.

"Humph."

"Really, baby! You have to move on. You can't go chasing after me, I'm a _lesbian_."

"I know that, Maureen."

"Then why don't you find someone else to chase after?!"

"Does it _matter_?" Mark finally snapped, glancing up and frowning.

Maureen had been shocked into silence. She stared at the young man and frowned, eyebrows knitting down as she did so. Mark had never really gotten _too_ angry with her before, so this little snap was enough to cause her to be left speechless. No words would form, and that seemed to be just fine for Mark, who continued working, but wasn't finished speaking his mind just yet.

"You have Joanne, Collins has Angel, and when they're not constantly fighting with each other, Roger has Mimi." The young man shook his head, staring at the wires before him. "But even though I don't have anyone to get involved with, I'm _fine_ with that." He reached forward and tinkered, lips twitched down severely at the corners. "I have _all of you_. All that matters to me is my friends, their well-being, and their happiness." Mark finally stood, pointing at the microphone.

"That's why I'm here."

Maureen simply stared, then stepped to the microphone, blinked and said "One, two," A small gasp escaped her and she turned to grin at Mark, who was already making his way towards the exit. With wide eyes, Maureen threw up her hands.

"Wait!" She called after him.

"What, Maureen?" Mark had stopped, and was now staring back with a curious look.

"We love you, baby. All of us." She said, then let her arms fall.

It was only when Mark had walked out that his words sank in. He did _everything_ that he could for them, and he didn't even ask to be recognized for it. To them, he was just.. there, and he always would be. Maureen swallowed the lump in her throat, before she gave a small laugh.

"You're the best, Mark. A doll -- an angel."


	5. Announcement

HEY GUYS.

Honestly, if you want to see this story continued, give comments. I got over two hundred new views because of the latest chapter and TWO reviews. What's up with that? It makes me not want to get the other chapters out.

So, if you read -- review, please? 


	6. Joanne

**Title**: I'd Die Without You.

**Summary**: A series of one shots revolving around the positive influence that Mark has had in the life of every bohemian, and how he quickly became their guardian angel.

**A/N**: This idea was actually inspired by a friend of mine. We were talking and she suddenly mentioned something about Mark being an angel. This got my brain churning and I was thought, "What if that was how everyone he has come across feels about him?" It will involve insight from each of the bohemians, even the ones that have passed away in the plot.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RENT.

**PS**: I would like to thank all of those that have reviewed on the pieces thus far. I may have sounded a bit whiny in my 'announcement' chapter, but honestly, I wanted to know what you thought. Imagine, a novelist who has written what they consider to be one of their best works and have thousands of people read it, but never have one positive (or negative) comment to show that it has been acknowledged. Now, I'm not saying my writing is the greatest, but that's sort of what it was like. I'm going to take the time to address a few people, now.

**NycRENTgirl**: Aw, you don't have to apologize! I'm just glad that you did comment. ) I thought it was sweet of you to do so, though. Thank you for all of the praise! Marn: I do plan to write more! I'm glad you like it!

**Ethiwen**: Aw, you know that I'd keep it going! And thank you. I hope that I'm portraying the characters as accurately as you (and every one else) think they should.

**Rae Chouette**: Oh, wow! Speechless? You're flattering me! Talent? Hehe! I'm glad that you think so highly of it, it makes me happy. ) I did love the April piece the best, if I had to pick a chapter. Maureen's was fun to right, too.

**Spice of Life**: Nice! How about an update the day that you found it? ) That's pretty quick, huh? I hope you enjoy the rest!  
Well, thanks for all of those that have commented so far. I really, really appreciate it. As soon as I finish this (I still have Collins, Benny, and Angel to write) I plan to have something of a 'lighter' tone to add to my some-what 'dark' pieces. RogerMark fluff, anyone? But, on to the story!

I would just like to take the time to again thank everyone that has read this story. ) Over one thousand views, and I'm quite pleased.

**Thank you!**

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**I'd Die Without You.**

No amount of school could have prepared anyone for this mess. No amount of dedication into law could have prepared anyone for this hurricane of disaster, this mistress of chaos, this - this post-modern goddess who sometimes made her want to pull every hair, one-by-one out of her own head. Why couldn't Maureen realize that she was completely and utterly head over heels for her, even though she could sometimes be so difficult? Why did she have to sleep around? Why couldn't she stay with her? Joanne heaved a heavy sigh as she went back to moving the cables, preparing for yet another show where more men and women were going to fawn over the young woman who was too brilliant for her own good.

But, this time she had help. Shuffling around and not saying a word, as quiet as a church mouse, was none other than her current lover's ex-lover, Mark Cohen. The small blonde man was moving quickly and with ease, such a grace that Joanne didn't quite possess when it came to working with this equipment. However, he seemed to know just where everything went and what went with what. He was making this job a lot easier on her, but the awkward silence between the two of them was almost too much for the lawyer to stand. She sighed heavily and reached up, wiping the sweat from her brow. Even though it was in the middle of one of the harshest winters New York had had so far this year, it was burning up in this building.

"Mark," Joanne finally said as she set down a speaker.

The blonde blinked and looked up, peering at her from behind his black-framed glasses with his eyebrows knit down in confusion. They had only really talked once, and even though she was dating Maureen, she hadn't gotten to know the filmmaker all that well. She wanted to know what made him tick - and, honestly, what he had to say about Maureen. Joanne was getting too tired of watching the love of her life slipping off and flirting with another woman. Anal-retentive? Control freak? Those were words that Joanne often had associated with her by Maureen. But, was she really? Or did she have a right to be?

"Something wrong?" He finally replied - or maybe he hadn't taken that long. Joanne had gotten lost in her own thoughts. But, how did he know that something was wrong? Was she being that open about it, or was it just something that he said whenever someone said his name?

"Something, but it's not anything we haven't covered before." Joanne admitted, eyes narrowing.

"Well, you can tell me." Mark began to move closer, fingers fidgeting together as he approached the woman.

"It's just," She started, sighing heavily. "Did Maureen cheat on you a lot"

"Well," He looked sheepish. "She did - quite a bit, really. I just never acknowledged it. I didn't want too." There was a pause, in which Joanne had been about ready to say something, but Mark cut her off.

"Look, Joanne. That's something you don't have to worry about. It's in Maureen's nature to flirt - it's just who she is - but evidentially she really cares about you, or she wouldn't try as hard to keep getting you back after she screws up. I.. I think Maureen is really in love with you," Mark took a breath, and then continued. "Which is why I'm not as sour about her leaving me for a woman as I was before. She didn't love me, it was painfully obvious, but if she loves you and she's happy - I'm happy for the two of you"

Joanne was merely staring, allowing all of this to sink in as she stared at the man before her, who looked as if saying that had dropped a rather large weight off is shoulder. "I haven't known you long, but you seem like an incredibly nice person, Joanne. And I just want you to know that, well, I consider you a part of my family now. Roger, Collins, Mimi, Angel - they all mean so much to me, because they're like my family, and I watch out for them. I just want you to know that you're in that family, now, and .. well." Mark looked as if this was extremely awkward for him - which was it! This was his ex-lover's current lover, and he had just taken her in as a part of his family.

"Maureen loves you," He said, smiling at her. "You have nothing to worry about"

Joanne couldn't help the wide smile that had pulled at her lips as she walked over to the blonde, suddenly embracing him in a hug that caused Mark to stiffen and release a rather awkward sound, before he soon returned it, smiling nervously.

"Thank-you, Mark. That's one of the sweetest things that I've ever heard."

To hear that from the one person she had thought would always hate her made her feel extremely at ease, and she could feel the tension that had been so tangible in the air begin to ease.

Mark had welcomed her - Miss Law School - into his Bohemian family, and she just happened to be dating his ex-girlfriend.

He had to be one of the sweetest people she had ever met. What was it that Maureen had called him before? An angel? Well, he sure was something.


End file.
